ICYMI: June 2026; housing, tourism, data centers and more
Plus, do you know any billionaires?
It’s probably not news that billionaires are buying up as much of the media landscape as possible. The Williamsburg Independent has not received any offers from those billionaires. But I’ll let you know. Until then, thank you for your continued support of independent news. In case you missed it, here’s a roundup of our coverage in June. -George
Williamsburg is reviewing site plans for a new downtown library on Lafayette Street, starting with demolition of the former police station, with total costs still undetermined.
A review of James City County supervisors June when two major housing developments were deferred, updated the government center’s cost estimate, and addressed data center zoning and purchasing authority changes.
James City County supervisors learned the consolidated government center’s guaranteed maximum price will likely be $177 million, about $2 million less than previously estimated.
Rowe and William & Mary alumnus David Young discussed civic leadership, the university’s AI initiatives, the Better Arguments program, teacher preparation, and AidData research on The Conference Board’s podcast.
A developer’s rezoning request for a 276-acre Croaker Road mixed-use project with up to 704 homes and a Presidents’ Heads sculpture museum was deferred to October.
The James City County Board of Supervisors met twice in June, deferring two major housing developments and receiving an updated $177 million government center estimate.
The board unanimously approved a $1,048,700 contract to build a permanent pavilion and stage awning at Riverwalk Landing, replacing temporary event tents.
Williamsburg owns two long-vacant Richmond Road properties: the former Tioga Motel site, bought in 2007, and the former Super 8 Motel site, acquired in 2016.
The Williamsburg Health Foundation awarded $4.5 million in grants to 35 area nonprofits and agencies, supporting its 2026-2030 priorities of Access to Care, Economic Advancement, and Healthy Living.
Colonial Williamsburg is building a new visitor arrival facility off Lafayette Street, set for completion later this year, featuring landscaped pavers, paths, flowers and trees alongside hundreds of parking spaces and a tour bus drop-off loop.
County staff said the height increase aligns data center standards with height limits already permitted in York County’s industrial zoning districts and is intended to maximize efficient land use.
Transient tax collections have risen over 11% in two years, with a projected 5-6% increase this year. Hotel rooms sold rose 6% through April, and occupancy climbed 7.7%, outperforming state and national trends.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced it will provide $900,000 to help the City of Williamsburg upgrade the Waller Mill reservoir dam through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
James City County’s Board of Supervisors met in closed session to discuss appointments to the inaugural board of a new Community Land Trust. Separately, the county has closed bidding for site preparation at its Clark Lane property near Sentara Regional Medical Center.
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